January cold snap has killed 35 manatees in Florida

A report says 35 manatees across Florida have died as a result of cold stress syndrome in January.

The Bradenton Herald reported that the deaths between Jan. 1 and Jan. 26 were tallied in a preliminary report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The commission said that was five times as many deaths compared with to the same period in 2017.

Cold stress syndrome can occur when the marine mammals encounter water below 68 degrees Fahrenheit for a prolonged period.